Blessed by the Light- A Valentine's Day Special
by lostsoul512
Summary: Jaina and Arthas venture to Stormwind for the Blessing ceremony of newborn Prince Anduin. Happy Valentine's Day lovelies. ((Excessive fluff to follow.))


**A/N: Two years ago, I started doing this whole "Valentine's Day" fanfic thing. I decided that, even though Valentine's Day itself isn't an official holiday in WoW, I still wanted to keep my tradition going. So, I am using the holiday as an excuse to write this sweet, mildly fluffy and entirely happy story that has been bouncing around in my head for a while. I hope everyone enjoys it. Go forth and spread love to all you meet. And if you don't have a Valentine's date, just go hang out in game with your favorite NPC and keep flirting with them instead. Lots of love xx -Skye**

**Disclaimer: All rights to Blizzard. I own nothing. In fact, I pay them. **

**Warnings: Mild OOCness (blame Varian, not me.) False hope of happiness. **

**Ps. Varian apparently does not have a middle name. The one given here was the name of his grandfather. I thought it would make the most sense, given Anduin's middle name. **

Spring was finally on its way, the warm light of the sun vanquishing the lingering chill of the winter. The grey skies had parted to reveal a crystalline blue, stretching out over the lands. This alone would have been reason enough to celebrate, Jaina Proudmoore thought to herself as she pulled her cloak in around her slender form. She hated winter, hated everything about it, the cold and the dark and the dreary mood that seemed to settle over everyone.

However, it was not the only thing the young Mage had to celebrate that day. Her bright blue eyes scanned the streets of Stormwind, taking in everything all at once. The city was in full motion around her, the rushing crowds blurring together along the sides of the cobblestone roads as they were parted by guards. She couldn't help but smile happily, a grin that only widened as she felt a pair of eyes fall upon her.

"Varian knows how to draw a crowd, I'll give him that," Arthas Menethil commented from where he rode beside her. Jaina glanced up at him, her lover, her best friend, her prince. He was donning his full armor, silver metal gleaming in the rays of sun, truly giving the illusion that he was emanating the Light itself. With his shoulders back and his head held high as he led his horse alongside her own, he looked every part the royalty that he was.

"It is a proud day for our friends," Jaina replied, "and for all of Stormwind. It's not everyday that an heir is presented to the kingdom." She had been giddily awaiting this day ever since she'd received her official invitation. Varian was an old friend of both hers and Arthas', and although she had only met his wife Tiffin on a few occasions, she had liked her well enough. The news that Tiffin had given birth to a son had travelled fast throughout all the kingdoms, and Jaina was exhilarated that she would finally be able to meet him.

Arthas made a low humming sound in the back of his throat as his deep navy eyes did a sweep of the streets. "I dare say nearly the entire kingdom has come. Varian must be proud."

The prince looked as if he wanted to say something more on the matter, but before he could, they were joined by a third figure. The broad shouldered man was also dressed in full armor, as was his massive white horse, and he was smiling brightly at the couple before him. "With good reason," Uther interjected, bowing his head respectfully to the pair of blondes. "There is nothing more worthy of celebration than the birth of a child. Why, I remember when you were born, and all of Lordaeron-"

"Whispered the very name Arthas," he cut his mentor off with a sheepish grin and a roll of his eyes. "Yes, yes, I have heard the story a thousand times, Uther." Jaina couldn't help but laugh a little at the exchange between them, but at the warning look the elder Paladin shot her, she quickly raised a hand to cover her mouth.

The trio of companions soon arrived at the base of the stone staircase that led up towards the massive fortress that was Stormwind Keep. Arthas slid with ease from his charger, going around to hold out a hand to Jaina so that he could help her to her feet as well. With Uther to lead them and an entourage of guards flanking them, Jaina reached out to lace her fingers with Arthas' own as they began to ascend the steps.

Arthas, will all of his intense training, had no problem whatsoever making it up the flight. But Jaina would have been lying to say that she wasn't at least a little out of breath when they reached the top. Her heart pounding a little too hard, an obvious indication that her life had been spent indoors pouring over tomes and manuscripts rather than enduring any physical trials, she turned around and gasped at the view before her. It seemed that she could see the entire kingdom from that single spot, the winding roads of the city, the jutting spires of the cathedral, the violet rooftop of the Mage's tower. She looked over her shoulder and gave Arthas a giddy smile. "It's so beautiful."

The sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention then. She turned to see a pair of Royal guards emerging from the archway of the keep, wearing the Stormwind tabards and walking in perfectly synchronized steps. "His Majesty is ready to see you," the guard said, and a moment later they were being led into the castle.

Jaina had been to Stormwind before, of course, but still she couldn't help but try to take everything in. The high ceilings, the polished floors, the ornate paintings on the walls. The perfect balance between decadent and practical. Arthas and Uther made some small talk that she didn't particularly hear, she was so preoccupied. Growing up on the seas, always on the move, always travelling, she had never had this sort of opulence in her life. In spite of being the daughter of the Admiral, she had never been above helping the crew, all the behaviors that should have been deemed inappropriate for someone of her standing. As such, she found herself fascinated by everything before her.

At long last, they completed their journey through the long corridors, arriving before a set of double doors, delicately carved with the insignia of Stormwind. The guard raised his hand to knock twice, pausing until he heard a deep voice from within call out for them to enter. As he pushed the door open, he stepped aside to make room for the others to enter. "Your Majesty, presenting Prince Arthas Menethil of Lordaeron, Lady Jaina Proudmoore of Kul Tiras, and Sir Uther the Lightbringer of the Silver Hand."

King Varian Wrynn turned to face them, a wide grin adorning his face and a small bundle of blankets held closely to his chest. Tiffin was at his side, her golden hair swept up into neat braids that spiraled around her head, her lips curved up slightly. "There is no need for sure official titles here among friends," the queen said with a slight bow of her head. She dismissed the guards, including those that had been trailing closely behind Arthas.

Only when the door had closed did Tiffin turn her gaze towards Jaina. "It is so good to see you again," she said warmly, sincerely. "Varian and I have been so anxious for your arrival." She nodded her head towards each of the men as well. "Arthas, I am so happy to see you well. And Lord Uther," she paused to smile softly at the man. "We have the utmost gratitude that you have agreed to perform the blessing."

While Uther murmured his thanks, assuring the queen that it was truly no trouble at all, and that he was honored to have been thought of so highly, Jaina was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, the long skirts of her lavender dress dancing around her legs. Arthas, who had been standing beside her with a hand on the small of her back, let out a short chuckle at his lover's impatience. "In case you can't tell, Jaina has been dying to meet the young prince," he told his old friend. "I don't think she stopped talking about it the entire journey here. I never realized how long it took to get here."

A blush tinged the mage's cheeks, but she made no effort to deny the accusations. Tiffin's expression shifted in a devious smirk as she looked up at her husband. She looked so small standing next to him, so thin and graceful beside his muscled form. "Good luck getting him away from Varian," she retorted. "I've never seen him so fascinated with anything before."

Only the sound of his name was enough to draw the king's attention away from his fawning over the child he cradled. Varian tore his gaze from the prince and refocused his attention on his guests. Under normal circumstances, he would have been much more receiving of them. But Arthas and Jaina were his friends, and they understood that on this day, traditional formalities fell behind the importance of this moment.

Not surprisingly, it was Uther that cleared his throat, demanding the attention of the young nobility gathered before him. "I am sure there will be plenty of time to admire Prince Anduin, Lady Proudmoore. However, as much as I hate to ruin this moment, I would hate for him to be late to his own ceremony even more so. Perhaps we should allow the king and queen time to get ready."

Both Jaina and Arthas were used to Uther's subtle ways of commanding, and so both of the blondes knew better than to try and protest. The Mage bowed her head respectfully, giving one last lingering look at the swaddled blankets that held Anduin, before turning to follow the elder Paladin out of the chambers.

Arthas, too, dipped his chin towards the young king and queen of Stormwind. "See you at the Cathedral," he murmured, as he departed as well.

...

The Cathedral of Light was the most stunning, remarkable building in all of the city. Jaina thought that it's beauty may have even surpassed that of her own beloved city of Dalaran. The tall peaks forced her gaze upward toward the azure sky as she was led inside. With white marble columns and wide windows, the entire room seemed filled with the presence of the Light itself, no doubt earning the church it's name.

They were escorted to their seats in the front pew of the chapel. Jaina folded her hands in her lap, straightening her spine and craning her neck to look around at all of the other guests that had arrived. A few faces she recognized, other important officials that had come to share in the joyful ceremony. At her side, Arthas kept his own navy eyes fixated straight ahead, at the elevated platform where Uther stood. Where he was usually filled with witty and playful remarks about everything, his features were composed and, Jaina noted, almost contemplative. No doubt he was dwelling on his own relations with the Light, his own duties and oaths as a new Paladin of the Silver Hand.

Smiling sweetly at him, Jaina reached a hand over to rest it lightly atop his own. She wanted to tell him that everything was going to be fine, that she had never once doubted his devotion to his path, or that he would do wonderful things in his life. She had always believed that when the time came, he would be an amazing king, one worth remembering, one that served his people above all else. She wanted to tell him that through all of it, no matter what, she would always be at his side. She would always be right here, next to him.

But the time to say anything passed as the doors swung open and a pair of guards strode in. They walked side by side down the aisle and stopped at the front. Without a word, all of the guests rose to their feet and turned to face the entrance, and a moment later the king and queen entered with their heads held high and bright smiled on their faces. Varian had changed into his signature suit of armor, his decorative foil tied to his hip, the unmistakable shoulders glinting in the light. Tiffin, on the other hand, wore a full gown of a deep cobalt, her golden hair falling over her shoulders to offset the dress in the colors of the kingdom. A long train of silk rustled against the ground after her. In her arms she cradled her baby in an effortless manner.

The beautiful pair paused briefly to smile at all those gathered, before making their way to the front of the room and taking their places on either side of Lord Uther. All eyes followed them, waiting for the command to be seated. Uther gave it with a simple raise of his hands. In a unified motion, all the room resumed their seats. Jaina absently smoothed out her skirts as she focused on the front of the Cathedral.

Uther waited until he was sure he had the attention of everyone in the room. "Today marks a momentous and incredibly special occasion for the kingdom of Stormwind," he began. His voice was streaked with confidence, the ability to command. "The presentation of His Royal Majesty, Prince Anduin Llane Wrynn" A murmured chorus of appreciation rippled through the group. Unable to prevent a slight smirk from tugging at the corners of his usually stern mouth, Uther waited for the noise to fade before continuing on.

"We come together in this most holy of grounds to ask that the Light may bless Prince Anduin in all that he does, guiding him through all of his days. May he learn the ways of justice, righteousness and compassion, all the traits that will make him into a magnificent king, as have been all of those that led the people of Stormwind before him. May his obstacles be few and far between, may he always feel loved and secure, and may his days be long and filled with much happiness. We ask that the Light also shine upon His Highness King Varian Adamant Wrynn, and Queen Tiffin Ellerian Wrynn. May I now present to those gathered here today Prince Anduin Llane Wrynn, heir to the throne of Stormwind."

Once again Uther stopped his speech, this time giving a slight movement of his hand that indicated to everyone they were to rise. A unanimous sound, the shifting of cloth and silk or the soft thud of plate metal, filled the Cathedral as all of the esteemed guests stood in an act of respect to the royal family. Tiffin glanced almost unsurely over her shoulder at Uther, before taking a step forward and handing Anduin over to Varian. The king pulled back the blankets and held his son proudly for all to see, and the infant prince was welcomed with applause by the kingdom that would love him for all of his days.

…

After the blessing ceremony, many of the guests remained in the Cathedral to come and meet the prince personally. Each of them stood in line down the aisle just for a moment with him. Jaina and Arthas lingered in the back, his hands on her hips. While his gaze was locked on her, her own wide eyes were fixated on the front of the room. "I want to hold him," she said stubbornly. "You said after the blessing-"

"Jaina," he interrupted her, before she could really start to lose herself in one of her endless rants. "We have all night with Varian and Tiffin, and with the baby. Let the other guests show their respects first."

In a surprisingly uncharacteristic display, Jaina slumped her shoulders and stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. Even though he knew he would probably come to regret it later, Arthas laughed at her distress, leaning in to close the distance between them and kiss her lightly. Caught off guard, Jaina let out a short gasp before sliding her arms up around his neck and kissing him again, this time more fully. With their foreheads resting against each other's, she looked up into his eyes, twin blues blazing brightly together.

"Do you think this many people will come to see our daughter's blessing?" She asked.

Arthas nearly choked on the breath he had been taking. Jaina felt her heart skip a beat, fearful that she had spoken too soon. Though, they had been seeing each other for over a year now, and she had thought their relationship serious enough to at least make mention of their future. But the blonde prince composed himself quickly. "Daughter?" He repeated incredulously.

Immediately Jaina felt herself relax, smirking playfully at him as she nodded once. "Yes, _daughter_," she replied. "She'll be the most beautiful girl in all of Azeroth-"

"Besides you."

"-and the most talented mage-"

"Besides you."

"-oh! And we can arrange her marriage to Anduin!"

Arthas snorted in amusement. "As wonderful as all of this sounds, we will need a son, as an heir to the throne. There has never _not_ been a king of Lordaeron."

Jaina pulled away from his hold, crossing her arms over the front of her dress. "Well...well, there has never been a mage for a queen, either," she pointed out. "But that isn't going to stop you from marrying me."

Arthas raised his brows, a look of utter surprise overtaking his face. "Who said anything about marriage?"

Rolling her eyes, she smacked him playfully on the arm, but regretted it when her knuckles collided with steel metal. This only caused him to laugh louder, and her to blush deeply. Unfortunately, before she was able to chastise him any more, Varian was calling out to them, beckoning them towards the front of the chapel.

Jaina all but let out a cry of excitement as she turned away from the paladin and nearly tripped on her skirt as she hurried towards her friends. Arthas had no choice but to trail behind her. "Can I hold him now?" She asked excitedly, her voice rising to a new and unnatural octave, holding out her arms eagerly. Tiffin grinned widely at her, nodding and passing the bundle that was the prince into the mage's arms.

"Careful," Varian warned, the word overly concerned.

Tiffin arched a brow at him, placing a hand on his forearm. "Relax, darling. I am certain Jaina can handle holding a child." The brunette didn't look convinced, but he didn't say anything more about the matter. He stood with his arms crossed and watched, ready to pounce on her at the first sign of any danger.

The first time Jaina held Prince Anduin Wrynn, she knew that he was going to be something amazing. It was in the way his bright blue eyes stared up at her, so wide with innocence and wonder. A resonating shiver of hope ran through her, as if the child in her arms was a beacon of light, offering optimism and faith. She stared down at him with all the adoration in the world, and right then and there she made a silent vow that she would never, never allow anything to happen to him.

Arthas appeared at her side, peering down over her shoulder at the infant. The paladin felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over him as he studied his small features, his upturned nose and his rosy cheeks and those piercing eyes that seemed to see into his very soul. Slowly, he lifted a hand to touch Anduin's little fingers. The baby made a small cooing sound, and before Arthas could pull back, had wrapped his entire hand around his index finger. Everyone watched the two princes locked in a stare, and Jaina swore she could feel the Light itself moving around them. Anduin's tiny lips twitched up into a smile as he released his hold.

"He's perfect," Jaina whispered breathlessly, raising her eyes to meet Varian's. "Really, Varian. He's absolutely perfect."

Though he would have never admitted to it, Varian's cheeks colored a little at the praise. He quickly regained his serious expression, however, his blue eyes flickering between Jaina and Arthas. "Tiffin and I actually wanted to ask you two something," he said then, catching the couple off guard. Both of them watched him expectantly, silently urging him to go on. "Well, we were hoping that, perhaps, you might agree to being Anduin's guardians."

Jaina sucked in a sharp breath. They were asking her and Arthas...to be his guardians? Guardians to the prince of Stormwind. It was the greatest honor she could have imagined, almost akin to being accepted into the Kirin Tor. It was more than she could have asked for.

Varian glanced over at Tiffin, looking almost uncomfortable at her prolonged silence. "It's more of a formality, really," he pressed on. "It's just that, if something were to ever happen to Tiffin and I, we cant imagine anyone else we would want to raise our child."

"Of course we will!" Jaina blurted, looking as though she might burst from the sheer happiness. She lifted Anduin a bit to press her lips lightly to his forehead. Suddenly remembering herself, she glanced over her shoulder at Arthas. Although she looked innocent enough, Arthas knew her well enough to know that she was just daring him to deny her this.

"We would be glad to be Anduin's guardians," he assured his old friend, and this time Jaina really did let out a cry, bouncing giddily on her toes. Varian gave a terrified look and hurriedly snatched his son away from her.

After a while longer of fawning over the baby and talking amongst themselves, they decided to start back towards the Keep. And although they were surrounded by citizens offering their praises, and followed by an entourage of guards, for the moment they were simply four friends, sharing an incredible special moment in their lives. And though they knew not what trials and tribulations may lay ahead, they were all confident in the knowledge that they would never have to face any of it alone, because they would always, always have each other.

_**end**_


End file.
